When a person or other entity generally subscribes to a satellite television service (e.g., a satellite broadcast of a television or other suitable mass media means transmission), the service may first arrange for necessary equipment to be setup that generally allows the subscriber to receive and make use of the satellite transmission (e.g., see the satellite broadcast on a television set.) The equipment setup generally occurs at the subscriber's location (e.g., home) and may first involve substantially attaching satellite reception equipment (e.g., the satellite dish) generally on the outside structure of a building or alike that is proximate to the subscriber's location. This setup may further include generally connecting the satellite dish to a satellite signal receiver, followed by generally connecting the satellite receiver to a television set, computer or other suitable electronic device.
In operation, the satellite dish may be generally oriented towards the position in the sky where the service's broadcast satellite could be held in a geostationary orbit. This orientation is generally required to allow the satellite dish to receive the satellite broadcast signal. Upon receipt of the broadcast signal from the satellite, the satellite dish may generally relay it to the satellite receiver, which may then substantially decode or otherwise make the broadcast signal compatible for use by the subscriber's electronic equipment (e.g., television set.)
One of the banes of satellite transmission system could be snowfall. While snowfall itself generally does not significantly interfere with the transmission of the satellite signal though the atmosphere, an accumulation of snow and/or ice on the satellite dish may significantly impair the reception of the satellite broadcast signal to such an extent as to substantially interfere with the receipt of the signal. Many satellite service providers (after being contacted by their irate patrons regarding such interruptions in service) promptly instruct their patrons in such situations to take an ordinary house broom, or other suitable brush device, go to the satellite dish and then brush off or otherwise remove the accumulation from the satellite dish. During a heavy snowfall or the like, the subscriber may have to remove this accumulation several times in order to maintain satellite transmission reception.
There may be some difficulties associated with such accumulation removal actions. A significant number of satellite dishes, to effectively receive the satellite signal, may need to have an unobstructed line-of-sight orientation to the point in the sky where the service's satellite in geostationary orbit is positioned for proper satellite signal transmission. This line-of-sight orientation may require the satellite dish to be placed high on the side or top of the building or other suitable structure to avoid any relevant obstructions. Therefore, in order for the subscriber (or other person suitably designated by the subscriber) to reach and remove accumulation from the highly placed satellite dish, the subscriber may need to engage in height reaching activities. These activities may include, but not necessarily be limited to, using a very long handled bush (e.g., a clumsy combination of a broom taped to an extension pole), climbing (e.g. using a ladder or like), or combinations thereof.
In non-snow times, these height-reaching activities may be somewhat risky. However, during a snowfall, where the accumulation of snow and ice may result in very slippery surfaces, such accumulation removal activities may become downright dangerous. Such repeated acrobatic activities could result in personal injuries (e.g., a slip and fall from a height). Additionally, areas receiving heavy snowfall may require the accumulation removal person to also traverse the fallen snow and the like (drifted and otherwise) just to get to structure where the satellite dish is situated thus generally being exposed to further hardship and potential injury.
What is needed therefore is a device and methodology whereby reception interfering accumulation on a satellite dish may be generally removed without the need for direct, repeated human intervention for the accumulation removal.